Beverage container holder and insulator

ABSTRACT

A beverage container holder for use in releasably securing a beverage container to a generally vertical member, such as an umbrella tube. The holder is flexible, and may be made from multiple layers of material or from a single layer (for example leather). The holder includes a friction sheet for providing augmented frictional engagement with the vertical member.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of Canadian Patent Application Serial No. 2,769,055, filed 17 Feb. 2012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

There is described an apparatus for holding a beverage container that was developed for use with umbrellas, but has wider potential application and an associated method for the use of that apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

On sunny days, it is common to see persons walking down the street with one hand holding a cup and the other hand free to use a mobile phone, hold the leash of a pet or hold the hand of a child. On rainy days, with one hand occupied by an umbrella and the other hand occupied with the cup, there is no longer a hand that is free.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for supporting a beverage container in releasable engagement with a longitudinally extending member, the longitudinally extending member in use generally maintained in a substantially vertical orientation, the apparatus including: a beverage container receptacle; a flap having a proximal end and distal end, wherein the flap proximal end is attached to the beverage container receptacle at a flap-receptacle joint, and the flap being flexible at least in the vicinity of the flap proximal end; a friction sheet spanning the flap-receptacle joint with a first edge of the friction sheet attached to the receptacle and second edge of the friction sheet attached to the flap; and a fastener for releasably securing a portion of the flap in the vicinity of the flap distal end to the beverage container receptacle, whereby in use the apparatus is releasably engaged with a longitudinally extending member by placing a portion of the member between the flap and beverage container receptacle and securing the flap to the beverage container receptacle; wherein, the friction sheet is sized such that when the apparatus is engaged with the longitudinally extending member, the friction sheet bunches and folds to provide augmented frictional engagement with the longitudinally extending member.

The beverage container receptacle may be a flexible open-ended tapered sleeve. The sleeve may include an outside fabric, an insulation, a mesh and an inside fabric. The outside fabric may be cotton; the insulation may be a batting of hollow polyester fibers with a reflective metalized poly film; the mesh may be a 9 oz per sq yd, fiber-based polyester scrim coated with PVC, 1,000 Denier, with a basket weave—11 warp 11 weft; and the inside fabric may be cotton. The sleeve may be leather. The sleeve may have a height of about 3¾ inches, a top circumference of about 10 inches and a bottom circumference of about 8¼ inches.

The friction sheet may be a non-slip, solid foam plastic. The friction sheet may be a 2 mm, non-slip, solid foam plastic. The friction sheet may be silicon.

The fastener is a hook and loop fastener. The hook part of the hook and loop fastener may be affixed to the receptacle and the loop part of the hook and loop fastener may be affixed to the flap.

The beverage container receptacle and flap may be made from a single flexible component having a first end and a second end, by affixing the component first end to an intermediate location along the length of the component, whereby the beverage container receptacle is defined by the portion of the component from the first end to the intermediate location and the flap is the portion of the component from the intermediate location to the component second end. The component may have a plurality of layers. The component may be a single layer.

SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of an embodiment of the present invention, shown installed on the tube of an umbrella and holding a beverage container.

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown in use with a beverage container.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown with the flap in the open position.

FIG. 4 is a stylized top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown with the flap in the open position.

FIG. 5 is a stylized, partially sectional, top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown installed on a small umbrella tube.

FIG. 6 is a stylized, partially sectional, top plan view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, shown installed on a large umbrella tube.

FIG. 7 is a stylized sectional view of the layers of the sleeve of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

As shown in the drawings, embodiments of the present invention include a holder 20 comprising a sleeve 22, flap 24, friction sheet 26, and hook and loop fastener comprising a hook material 28 and a loop material 30.

The sleeve 22 is flexible, and is shaped and sized to receive a beverage container, for example, as indicated in the drawings, a disposable coffee cup 32 with a lid 34. The sleeve 22 is open at the sleeve top 40 and the sleeve bottom 42. The sleeve 22 is tapered to generally follow the external shape of a disposable coffee cup 32.

As shown in FIG. 7, the sleeve 22 comprises an outside fabric 50, insulation 52, mesh 54 and inside fabric 56.

In a preferred embodiment, the outside fabric 50 is 100% cotton. However, the outside fabric 50 could be: a natural fabric such as cotton, linen, silk, wool or blends of these; a synthetic fabric such as polyester, rayon, fleece, felt, faux fur, metallic, vinyl, oilcloth, bonded leather or any combination of these; leather or hides; and combinations of these.

In a preferred embodiment, the insulation 52 is a batting of hollow polyester fibers with a reflective metalized poly film, for example Insul-Bright™. However, the insulation 52 could be: cotton batting, wool batting, polyester batting or a blending of different battings.

The mesh 54 provides a desired stiffening to the holder 20 and spaces the inside fabric 56 from the insulation 52 so as to facilitate drying should either or both of the inside fabric 56 and insulation 52 become damp. In a preferred embodiment, the mesh 54 is a 9 oz per sq yd, fiber-based polyester scrim coated with PVC, 1,000 Denier, with a basket weave—11 warp 11 weft. A suitable product is 911™. However, the mesh 54 could be any woven or knit fiber that is heat resistant and provides a stiffness akin to the preferred mesh material.

In a preferred embodiment, the inside fabric 56 is 100% cotton. However, the inside fabric 56 could be: a natural fabric such as cotton, linen, silk, wool or blends of these; a synthetic fabric such as polyester, rayon, fleece, felt, faux fur, metallic, vinyl, oilcloth, bonded leather or any combination of these; leather or hides; and combinations of these. The outside fabric 59 and the inside fabric 56 need not be the same material.

The flap 24 is attached to the sleeve 22 at the flap-sleeve joint 60. In a preferred embodiment the flap 24 and sleeve 22 are made from a single component (either a pre-assembled multi layer component, having layers as described above with respect to the sleeve 22, or a single-layer component, for example, a piece of leather) in which the sleeve 22 is formed by folding the component over on itself and sewing an end of the component at an intermediate location along the length of the component so as to define the flap 24.

The friction sheet 26 spans the flap-sleeve joint 60. In a preferred embodiment, the friction sheet 26 is 2 mm, non-slip, solid foam plastic. A suitable product is WonderLiner Solid™. Other non-slip products may also be used, for example silicon materials may be suitable. Preferably, the friction sheet 26 is made from a non-adhesive material. As indicated in FIG. 4, the friction sheet 26 is attached to the sleeve 22 at an edge of the friction sheet 26 and the friction sheet 26 is attached to the flap 24 at the opposite edge of the friction sheet 26. The amount of friction sheet 26 material is such that the friction sheet 26 bulges or folds in the usual operative positions of the holder 20.

The hook material 28 is attached to the sleeve 22 adjacent to the friction sheet 26. The loop material 30 is attached to the flap 24 adjacent to the other edge of the friction sheet 26 (as the flap 24 is most handled by the user, it is desirable to have the loop material 30 on the flap 24 rather than the hook material 28 as the loop material 30 is less abrasive than the hook material 28). The hook material 28 and loop material 30 may be Velcro™ or any of the other well known hoop and loop fasteners.

As indicated in FIG. 1, the holder 22 may be attached to an umbrella tube 70 above the umbrella grip 72 (umbrella canopy not shown), so as to hold a coffee cup 32 and lid 34, by wrapping the flap 24 around the umbrella tube 70 and securing the flap 24 to the sleeve 22 with the hook material 28 and loop material 30.

The configuration of the friction sheet 26 described above that provides for bunching and folding of the friction sheet 26 in use, permits the holder 20 to be used with a range of umbrella-tube sizes. As indicated in FIG. 5, when the holder 20 is used with a small umbrella tube 74, the resulting folding of the friction sheet 26: causes the friction sheet 26 to have contact with a greater portion of the circumference of the small umbrella tube 74 than it would were the folding not present; and, by effectively doubling the thickness of the friction sheet 26 at the location of the folding, provides increased localized compressability (i.e., “give”) thus enabling the user to pull the flap 24 tighter. As indicated in FIG. 6, when the holder 20 is used with a large umbrella tube 76, given the greater surface area inherently provided by the greater circumference of a large umbrella tube 76 as compared to a small umbrella tube 74, such folding is generally not necessary and the friction sheet 26 generally conforms to the periphery of a large umbrella tube 76 by small wrinkles or bunching.

As indicated in FIG. 2, the holder 20 may be used as an insulating collar for a beverage container for holding in the user's hand, by merely folding and securing the flap 24 so as to overlie the adjacent portion of the sleeve 22.

It has been found that a holder 20 having a height of about 3¾ inches and a sleeve top 40 with a circumference of about 10 inches and a sleeve bottom 42 with a circumference of about 8¼ inches accommodates conventional disposable cups in a size range of 14-24 fluid ounces and that disposable cups of smaller sizes may be accommodated if used with the disposable cardboard insulation collars with which such cups are often provided. For a holder 20 having the above dimensions, a flap 24 projecting about 2½ inches from the flap-sleeve joint 60, and a friction sheet 26 having a width of about 2 inches, have been found to be suitable. The size of the holder 22 as a whole and/or the relative proportions of the sleeve 22 and flap 24, may of course be modified to accommodate different sized poles and different sized and shaped beverage containers.

The embodiment described above has been illustrated with reference to use with an umbrella. The embodiment may be used in a variety of other situations (e.g., when a permanent bulky cup holder is undesirable but the user may wish to hold a beverage container or insulate a beverage container) and with other articles, for example with: wheel chairs, walkers, canes, strollers and or baby carriages (e.g. to hold and insulate a baby bottle and, optionally, to hold it in a position where it can be directly accessed by an infant), stadium seats, portable chairs, tents or other camping equipment, boats etc. The embodiment may be used wherever there is a rod, pole or longitudinally extending member of suitable size, that is, or can be readily maintained, in a generally vertical orientation.

The embodiment described above has been illustrated with reference to disposable coffee cups. In other embodiments, the beverage containing collar (e.g., the sleeve 22) may: be cylindrical rather than tapered (e.g., to accommodate water bottles, baby bottles etc.); and/or include features to more securely hold a beverage container (e.g., elastic at the bottom and/or middle, a manual cinch at the bottom, middle and/or top, etc.).

As well, the flap 24 could be releasably secured to the sleeve 22 by means other than a hook and loop fastener, for example: grommets, snaps, a clip and cinch, etc. Further, the holder 20 could include a pouch or pocket for keys, money, credit card etc.; and/or a hook or clasp (perhaps on the flap 24) from which to hang keys, cell phone, soother (if used by baby or toddler) etc. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for supporting a beverage container in releasable engagement with a longitudinally extending member, the longitudinally extending member in use generally maintained in a substantially vertical orientation, the apparatus comprising: a beverage container receptacle; a flap having a proximal end and distal end, wherein the flap proximal end is attached to the beverage container receptacle at a flap-receptacle joint, and the flap being flexible at least in the vicinity of the flap proximal end; a friction sheet spanning the flap-receptacle joint with a first edge of the friction sheet attached to the receptacle and second edge of the friction sheet attached to the flap; and a fastener for releasably securing a portion of the flap in the vicinity of the flap distal end to the beverage container receptacle, whereby in use the apparatus is releasably engaged with a longitudinally extending member by placing a portion of the member between the flap and beverage container receptacle and securing the flap to the beverage container receptacle; wherein, the friction sheet is sized such that when the apparatus is engaged with the longitudinally extending member, the friction sheet bunches and folds to provide augmented frictional engagement with the longitudinally extending member.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beverage container receptacle is a flexible open-ended tapered sleeve.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleeve comprises an outside fabric, an insulation, a mesh and an inside fabric.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outside fabric is cotton; the insulation is a batting of hollow polyester fibers with a reflective metalized poly film; the mesh is a 9 oz per sq yd, fiber-based polyester scrim coated with PVC, 1,000 Denier, with a basket weave—11 warp 11 weft; and the inside fabric is cotton.
 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleeve is leather.
 6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the sleeve has a height of about 3¾ inches, a top circumference of about 10 inches and a bottom circumference of about 8¼ inches.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the friction sheet is non-slip, solid foam plastic.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the friction sheet is 2 mm, non-slip, solid foam plastic.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the friction sheet is silicon.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a hook and loop fastener.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the hook part of the hook and loop fastener is affixed to the receptacle and the loop part of the hook and loop fastener is affixed to the flap.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beverage container receptacle and flap are made from a single flexible component having a first end and a second end, by affixing the component first end to an intermediate location along the length of the component, whereby the beverage container receptacle is defined by the portion of the component from the first end to the intermediate location and the flap is the portion of the component from the intermediate location to the component second end.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the component comprises a plurality of layers.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the component comprises a single layer. 